Role Reprisals, Lazy Or Not?
Published on Monday 28th September, 2.35pm, Written by Carrie Dunn
Joanna Riding has returned to Billy Elliot the musical after her maternity leave, slotting back in as Mrs Wilkinson and picking up where she left off. Across town, Linzi Hateley’s using her sabbatical from Mamma Mia! London wisely, reprising her Roxie Hart in Chicago, alongside Pia Douwes, who’s playing Velma Kelly again 10 years after she first took the role. Michael Ball’s had a brief break from Edna Turnblad’s floral frock, but he’ll be diving back into it early next year.
Sutton Foster in The Drowsy Chaperone
So role reprisals are beloved by actors — but what do theatregoers think about them? Is it a lazy career move, cynical playing to the crowd, or a demonstration of how much an actor loves a part and wants to make their audience happy?
It seems that it’s the latter. Just sending out a quick Tweet to ask for suggestions of perfect role reprisals elicited a flood of
responses.
First up, my best friend (who’s becoming a bit of a feature in my blogs here) reminded me that although we’ve seen him play the Usherette, we’ve never seen Richard O’Brien play Riff-Raff in The Rocky Horror Show. “I would so like to see it,” he sighs. “He’s great, and I don’t think anyone’s ever done the part as well as he. In fact, I’d have liked to have seen Tim Curry as Frank N Furter with him.”
Michael Ball’s turn as Edna wasn’t mentioned, but his other career-defining part was, unsurprisingly. “I’d pay top dollar to see him as Marius back in the day,” says Talia. “Actually, now I’d quite like to see him try Jean Valjean as well…”
“Sutton Foster in The Drowsy Chaperone!” declared the esteemed Luisa Ramirez. She’s not seen Ms Foster in anything previously, so why the desperate keenness? “I love what I’ve heard, and she’s so cute in interviews.”
The fabulous Damian Sandys would like another chance to see Ruthie Henshall as Polly in Crazy For You — her first starring role, and the part for which she received her first Olivier Award nomination. “I saw it and thought it was incredible,” he says, “and it made me know WHO she was, even though I had actually seen her Fantine before.”
And it made me feel oddly sad and nostalgic when people wished they’d been born a generation earlier. Seeing La Streisand on stage was a popular option; and one person responded: “Michael Crawford as Phantom! I didn’t exist when he played the role and I would give anything to go back in time and see it.”
So, are there any actors you’d like to see reprise a role, either because you loved them so much first time round, or because you wish you’d seen them then?
I would have loved the chance to see the original Phantom of the Opera cast with Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman. I think every Phantom phan feels the same. It would be amazing, even now, if they took on the roles for a one night revival. And John Savident and David Firth would be amazing to see as the managers.